Religious minorities in the workplace: A comprehensive literature review on challenges, equity, and inclusion

Abstract

Globalization and immigration have greatly contributed to religious plurality in workplaces worldwide. Despite these religious diversity trends and legal protections in place globally, many religious minorities continue to experience religious-based discrimination and harassment. For many organizations, managing religious diversity remains a challenging endeavor as they balance secularism and the religious freedoms of their workforce. Moreover, growing anti-religious sentiments toward certain religious minorities, influenced by shifting geopolitical climates, may spill into workplace settings, exacerbating these challenges. However, research on religious minorities in the workplace and their experiences is limited or overwhelmingly focuses on mainstream religions. To address these concerns, this paper reviews the existing literature on religious minorities, including but not limited to Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and atheists, highlighting their unique workplace experiences. Drawing on a multi-theoretical lens, our review explores discrimination, religious expression, identity management strategies and their consequences, and the positive impact of religious inclusion on employee and organizational outcomes. We conclude with best practices and policies for fostering a religious-friendly workplace and identify future research needed to deepen our understanding of religious diversity in the workplace.